


Elves, Wolves, and Humans; Oh My!

by AnonymousAddictions (KurtbastianJust)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-01-26 21:21:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21380773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KurtbastianJust/pseuds/AnonymousAddictions
Summary: An elven prince is brought two small elves from a distant land, both with magic and a mission. One can see the future and foretells of the worlds destruction, the other just wants his soul mate. Together, along with a group of guards, a healer, a courtesan, some storytellers and a werewolf with a sweet tooth, they must not only save their kingdom but all kingdom's affected while also trying to solve the riddle that is romance.Alternatively; Jeonghan is a clueless prince, Joshua is a selfless seer, and Seuncheol needs to be honest with Jihoon about his line of work. Vernon is all too gay for Seungkwan, Dino likes storytime, DK is a brat and Hoshi fudges the truth. Mingyu stalks the stable boys and the stable boys may lead him to secure locations for fun. Jun is a whore and his boyfriend is absolutely okay with it because it inspires his stories.
Relationships: Boo Seungkwan/Chwe Hansol | Vernon, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Yoon Jeonghan, Jeon Wonwoo/Kim Mingyu, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Seokmin | DK, Lee Chan | Dino/Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 11
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

Delicate fingers traced lights in the dark sky, creating sparks for the eyes to follow, prancing at every beat of the elphenaud, a type of drum made from the feathers and scales of a Quatzalcaotl. Deep and powerful that the lights spoke the stories the music laid out. Eyes could follow the trailing spirals that the storytellers weaved in the night sky, all synchronous and at different heights to tell the story all at once and on so many levels.  
  
The lights continued from gold to silver to a bright, toxic green and they lit up the silver eyes of the Ellyrien prince. Jeonghan sat framed by even more darkened silver which only served its purpose of making the prince glow in his seat. The green lights adding a new hue to his eyes, a chain delicately outlining them from ear to ear, gingerly laying over his nose and a silver tint to his lips making him look less elven and more metallic like the mercury that danced in the poison pool. 

The storytellers lights eventually dimmed with the music and then the fire at the center of the celebration grew brighter. Two boys were dragged forward by a guard keeper, each in scraps of clothing, their skin blotched in blood but not enough to hide the mage symbols crawling over their pure white skin. As if the ghostly pallor wasn’t enough of a notice that these were outsiders from Quellyntal, the illegal sorcery that played on their skin was enough for a sentence to death inside Ellyr.

The prince’s silver eyes only seemed to darken as he took in the two bodies. If he hadn’t seen the Quellyntal elves before, he would immediately assume that these two were only children with their stunted height, barely reaching his abdomen. The thought that his long brown hair ended where theirs began gave the prince some sort of malicious pride. 

Jeonghan let out a soft noise, something that made the guard look up with his wide, foreigner eyes. Vernon was a well loved member of the city but even he could make a mistake by questioning the King’s decisions. The sound that came from the prince’s lips was high and soft, a dismissal, a saying to leave the little mage elves behind.  
  
One was drastically smaller than the other and the prince made his way to him first.The red marks on his skin began to glow with intensity, lighting up the pale skin until it seemed to burn a bright red from inside. The quell started to move and shift, working the rope from his hands without a care that everyone in attendance was watching carefully. Guards stepped forward but the tall prince cast a look at them before kneeling in front of the boy. 

_ “Ellyrien scullda meir runda daegli!” _ The words spilled like poison from the boys lips and the prince tilted his head, eyeing the boy with curiosity.  
  
“Curses begin with a name, correct? You do not know mine.” Jeonghan asked earnestly and then nodded once. “I wish to know yours, though.” He said, smiling before his eyes went to the other mage, his magical markings blue and less glowing. Timid. It would seem one was the lion while the other; the prey. “Do not fear Quell. I am not going to have you murdered for the writings on your skin, I wish to know more. I will have you properly unbound in minutes, let us take this conversation away from prying eyes.” The prince spoke, the tone intrigued, not hiding the fact that he was actually looking forward to getting to know the boys stories.  
  
“My Prince.” A raspy voice, more so as if he had ran than it having been the natural tone, came out softly.  
  
“Not now, Seungcheol. I’m clearly busy.” The prince said, the silver tint to his lips wearing away from his abnormal amount of speech. “Have these boys taken to the drawing room, untie them and fetch them that potions man. I think the taller one is ill, so please be careful.” 

“Yes, Sir.”

The twitching from the smallest elf seemed to stall as his eyes glowed a fiery red. _ “Jihoon noijin renduin.” _The other foreigner spoke quickly and it made the reddened boy stop, his small eyes flickering over the crowd watching and red marks began to dull into what looked like tinted tattoos once more, an overall calm washing over him.  
  
“Teach me that trick.” Jeonghan spoke, in awe of the magic he felt he’d witnessed.  
  
“It’s not a trick your majesty.” The boy with blue markings spoke. “I just explained to him something he wanted to hear. We will be obedient.” The crowd seemed to part as if they obliged to the elves being taken away and weren’t nosy but all knew gossip in Ellyrien was fast and that there were no such things as secrets among even the royal blood. The winds had ways of whispering the hidden truths that none felt upset that the Ellyrien prince walked two mage elves away with the head guard and his main consult in tow.  
  
Once out of the palace central where the bonfire lit every corner and people danced and lights were played with to wow and amaze, the streets grew colder and darker and if it weren’t for the Quell there would only be the knowledge of the streets to lead them. Instead both of the smaller beings lit the way with their marks, lighting their surroundings in red and blue hues, just light enough to see the cracked cobblestone.  
  
A door to a large sitting room was opened, just one of many in the outer palace but it would do well enough. “Untie them—” The prince began to speak before watching the ropes burn off of the shortest Quell’s wrists. “Or let them take them off on their own.” He smiled. “You’re a rather intriguing being.”  
  
The elf said nothing but the prince went on, reaching out to undo the ropes on the other boy. “Please, Sit.” He offered and watched the two look at one another. “I’ll start then. I’m prince Yoon Jeonghan of Ellyrien, I am sixth of my name—”  
  
“We know who you are, your majesty. We however did not come to see you.” The taller of the quell said which seemed to startle Jeonghan, making him take a step back, the glistening chain over his thin and picturesque nose shifting to lose balance, dangling more to one side. He was too stunned to fix it, eyes on the Quell when he turned to look at Jeonghan’s consult, Seungcheol.  
  
The littlest elf spun, trying to see before his eyes latched on to the males and the whispered words began once more, skin beginning to glow red as he stood and Seungcheol took a quick step back. “What have I done!? I don’t even know y— Oh no. You’re the seer.” He said and both Quell seemed to just stare at him as if that was the answer.  
  
“Someone please explain what is happening? This is my kingdom and my palace and for once I feel very much at a loss.”  
  
“Prince Jeonghan, let me introduce Joshua the seer and Jihoon, my soulmate.” Seuncheol whispered, letting out a defeated sound as he sunk onto a chair. “I deserve whatever curse he decides to lay upon me.”  
  
With those words spoken and Jeonghan still thoroughly confused, the smallest Quell, Jihoon’s skin lit up as he spoke, voice louder and louder. Jeonghan didn’t know the words but even Joshua, the other Quell winced on the occasion. Each harsh word made candles flare to life, glow brighter and brighter before going out as the voice finished, his red skin dimming. There was a tired whine and Jeonghan had to look at the male through the dark, Jihoon seemed exhausted and Joshua reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder, steam coming from the touch before he nodded at Seungcheol.  
  
“Where is that potions man? I thought I ordered him to be fetched.” Jeonghan asked as Seungcheol made hesitant steps forward before gently caressing Jihoon’s face and carefully laying him down. Every motion was graceful, so elven in nature but all in the room knew that Seungcheol was the furthest thing from elven. He was more powerful, more forceful than any in the room. It was an air about the male but that didn’t stop his touch on the mysterious Quell being the most gentle touch Jeonghan had ever witnessed.  
  
“My Jihoon. Rest.” He whispered and with those words the red glow to the tattoo’s faded instantly, leaving them in the dark.  
  
“For what it’s worth your majesty.” Joshua’s voice spoke up softly. “I’m sorry we interrupted your party. Your captain of the prison guard caught us trying to wait for the party to end so we could seek an audience.”  
  
Vernon stood at the door to the room, squawking as he’d been called out. In truth he’d been more confused than Jeonghan during the situation but couldn’t truly care about what had just happened. Instead he was anxiously awaiting a small knock. “I didn’t— It was my job to question what little mage elves were doing outside the cas—”  
  
“Calm, Vernon. All is well. I don’t think they intend us harm.” He said and the small knock came just then, the potions handler shuffling in when Vernon opened the door for him. The small male looked at the space and scoffed, even in the dark he could see perfectly but it didn’t stop him from whisking his hand out and all the candles flickered back to life at once.  
  
“I was called for?” Seungkwan asked, eyes dark and full of knowledge as he assessed the room. His own tattoos littered every inch of his skin in a stark white except for one in green, trailing down his rounded cheek to dance across his lips. “Well it’s been awhile since my kind have been in the palace. I’d like to think you came with a better reason than to lead soulmates together, Seer.” He smiled and was already opening his bag.  
  
Joshua appraised the healer before smiling. “What better reason to escape Quellyntal than for love? Jihoon was starting to gain the fire rot. Someone forgot their job so I came to fix it.” Joshua’s eyes stared blatantly at the back of Seuncheols head, being ignored by the man anyway.  
  
“At some point… is anyone going to explain to me what is happening?” The elven prince asked, refusing to be ignored, an indignant pout on his lips.  
  
“Ah, yes. Your counselor is not whom he seems, your highness.” Joshua said and his eyes glowed blue before they closed and he passed out.  
  
“Underfed Quell.” Seungkwan sighed, going to the boy to settle him into a chair. “Honestly, does no one understand how power works anymore? Is the history so far gone that you millenia-old elves forgot how to exist around one another?” He cursed before turning. “Shoo. Everyone out!” He said, batting his hands at the prince and the captain of the guards, both seemed shocked that an elf who was considered beneath them dared to hand out commands but neither seemed interested in fighting against him so they both backed out of the room.  
  
“Damned Ellyr. Damned _ pyntem _ !” He spat, noticing Seungcheol’s fazed look as he held onto Jihoon’s small body, cradling him but unmoving, as if he didn’t exist in the shell whose arms supported Jihoon’s weight. He looked at the three creatures around him, all as hopeless as the next and Seungkwan sighed, a noise lighter than a birds but as equally beautiful. He tied up his own elven locks, a dark brown, tendrils slipping from the strip of cloth now keeping them out of his eyes as he got to work.  
  


* * *

**Hours Previous**

Jihoon was out of breath as well as energy. He could see the reds in the sky not so far away, signaling that they were close to the palace center where the festivals were held every weekend, much the same as to the Quellyntal. They were similar factions in many ways, and Joshua had even said they’d arrive on the festival day and that they’d be greeted by a kind soul. _ Kind soul. _ The words stuck in Jihoon’s mind, as that’s exactly what he was searching for. His kind soul, someone he’d met time and time again over the course of his eternal life. First in Baekhyun, a bright fae whose lips always tasted of the sweetest turmet berries, bitter at first then filled with sugar that danced on the tongue for ages. Then there was Yoongi who wasn’t as sweet to taste but had a compassionate heart and while the glares could send daggers and his words created icy blades, at night beneath the stars he was the softest soul, the one whom Jihoon could rely on to hold him despite his humanity. So many different beings, from human to wolf to fae— none as eternal as the Quell but all with the same soul. It had been nearly 200 years since he’d lost his last soul mate, a crazy personality wrapped around the warmth of the soul Jihoon knew so well. Hyo-Jong was the last soul that Jihoon connected with, holding his warmth to him until it faded in his own hands, whispering the pleas to not let him go again. The 40 year wait just to meet him felt like an eternity; to wait once more was a cruel thing to ask. 

Jihoon was alone. He was so tired of being alone, he sought out psychic after psychic, asking where his soulmate would be born, when he would be born, where he would be and how far Jihoon would have to walk to be there. Years passed, every month Jihoon would visit the garden in the back of the small cottage he’d lived in for nearly three centuries. He’d kneel between headstones he’d personally carved, each detailed with the most intense memories and thoughts, each filled with his own hope and love. With fire from his own hands he melted the metal inlays and let them become permanent features. He was alone with his past, and with no hopes for the future.  
  
Jihoon could remember the day that he was getting his final tattoo of mourning, laying on a bench in the middle of the southern glade while a mark-writer worked on his inner thigh. That’s when he’d met Joshua, a young seer, basically a child by elven standards. He was just sitting in the middle of the field surrounded by dainty flowers of every color and in the bright afternoon light and the angle in which Jihoon was lying, the flowers seemed to be leaning to the male. His marks glowed a bright, effervescent blue. 

“Who is that? I don’t remember any of the water wielders having another child.” Jihoon said, the words tinted in sadness from the tattoo instilling the final memory of mourning forever onto his skin.  
  
“Ahh, that is the new seer.” His artist said and Jihoon rose an eyebrow, suddenly curious and itching to get up, to get the athame and ink well far from him and instead crawl to the boy, interrupt his peace and beg him to tell him the truth about Jihoon’s soulmate. “He’s a water wielder but he acts more like a green mage. The nature around him seems to bend to him, ache for him. It’s beautiful to see.”  
  
“He’s not like our other seers.” Jihoon said quietly. “Is it because he’s a child that his eyes aren’t white?” He asked softly and the artist chuckled.  
  
“The white eyes happens when a seer looks for their own future. You don’t know that, fire-wielder?” Jihoon shifted, letting that information sink in and he hummed. “I wish to speak to him.” At those words the sound of wind rushed through him and the flowers all wobbled as is released from an ethereal grasp. Jihoon’s eyes darted back to the boy finding bright blue eyes trained on his, feeling his soul being searched and torn to shreds with a simple gaze. 

“He’s looking at me.” Jihoon whispered and the artist chuckled.  
  
“Well, you said you wanted to talk to him, and your mark is done.” There was a cooling feeling over his mark, but he never felt the burn of his marks unlike others. What followed wasn’t truly a conversation, a question was never asked, Joshua hardly spoke at all and instead took his time just staring as if he could absorb all the information needed by looking at Jihoon.  
  
“You will get sick.” He finally said and then smiled. “But the soul… a kind soul will be there to grasp your heart and make it beat.”  
  
“H-How l—?” Jihoon began and then Joshua smiled, covering his mouth. 

“He’s too hurt to come back right now, be patient. You will be okay.” The blue elf stood, his dainty ears so thin that they appeared transparent and a single mark hugged the cusp of it making Yoongi question what it was for. Hearing. It had to be. 

Now, nearly 200 years later, Jihoon knelt in a bush next to the seer, still a child in elven standards but still mostly silent and still filled with more knowledge than many people. “Soul.” Joshua whispered, voice panicked and he grabbed onto Yoongi’s arm in fear. 

“What are two Quellyntal elves doing inside Ellyrien?” The voice sent shivers down Jihoon’s spine and he turned to look at the man who was so obviously not a full elf. Too much leaned towards human, the lack of the pointed ears, the full lips and the large eyes— The captain of the guard. Jihoon wouldn’t have been able to assume his job if it weren’t for the pin holding the small red banner of a cape to his thin armored chest piece.  
  
Joshua and Jihoon immediately went silent, having looked like they were sneaking in it was smarter to be quiet then to try and convince the man they only wanted to wait for the party to die down. No one had marks on their skin here, in Ellyrien it was illegal to wield elements or do any magic that’s purpose was not entertainment. Jihoon and Joshua literally looked illegal, every mark brandishing their skin just showing exactly what they were, and the forceful grasp of the guard made Jihoon’s face crumple. “The prince will deal with you, if he’s in a good enough mood to not just throw you in jail or the bonfire.”

Jihoon’s eyes narrowed as he thought about it, the idea of being thrown into a fire made him internally chuckle. He wielded fire and the other wielded water. It wasn’t much of a threat but Jihoon would hold back that thought. The ropes were too tight but he figured he’d let the guard drag them along and not appear to be violent. That wasn’t why they were there after all. They were looking for his kind soul, not a war. 

* * *

Jeonghan paced in his room having put guards on the room where the Quellyntal were. He’d had to give so many assurances and okays to a messenger walking between his room and the meeting room, granting Seungkwan any permission he declared was necessary for the revival of both Joshua and Jihoon.  
  


Finally, as dawn broke over the sky, Seungkwan came into the room, clearly just as tired as the Ellyrien elf. He didn’t bother putting his bag down to talk, he wasn’t staying long enough to get comfortable. “One is a seer, the one in blue. His eyes aren’t white though which is rare.. I have him in a tub in the room next to yours. Two guards will be keeping the water warm until he awakens. The other seems to be entering sickness, Seungcheol is in shock so I assume they are mated or are supposed to be. He was very aggressive in his determination that I not touch him but I had them taken to Seungcheol’s quarters where a fire is being kept up as well as hot stones since he responded well to them. As for you, your Majesty, I am prescribing a full morning’s rest. Healer’s demands.” 

Jeonghan looked at the healer then sighed. “You never use your wielding magic, Seungkwan. Why?” The healer looked up, a little shocked before touching the off colored mark on his face. 

“It was stripped from me, your highness.” Seungkwan explained. “The rest are purely for show at this point. The one that showed my power is the one that covered my face and the one that was taken from me. Your mo—” He stopped himself and bowed. “I apologize, I’ll be taking my leave now if that’s alright?”  
  
“I know what my mother has done, Seungkwan. I am sorry. Please, have a good rest, thank you for your work tonight.” The boy bowed his head once more and left the quiet room and the awkward prince. Jeonghan pulled his hair down from the pin clasping it up, removing all the twirled gathers and all the adorning jewelry until the tresses hung to his waist and he lifted his brush, thinking to himself as he brushed it out slowly as morning came and the sun lit his room into a gorgeous pale orange. He changed out of his festival gown and pulled on something more soft and simple to crawl into bed wearing. He did not fully understand what the Quellyntal elves were truly like and he wouldn’t until they were deemed to be at full health once more.  
  


* * *

Seungcheol was grateful for Jihoon’s sudden awakening as the boy laid by the fire. By being a very literal term, the flames licked at his body and Seungcheol could see the rot at his finger tips, greying his skin where it would normally have been a glistening white. The bags under his eyes as well and the slightly off color to his lips. The angel weeped for the boy, curling up next to him as he watched the elf rest and heal. Seungkwan had really tried to help but they both knew there wasn’t much to be done. Fire rot is something Jihoon had to be awake to cure, he had to see his soulmate and while Seungcheol held the soul he needed…. He also wasn’t the one for him.  
  
The fire lapped at Jihoon’s skin, seeming to bring the male closer and closer but from leaning back he could tell the fire was actually crawling to Jihoon, soaking into him and taking over. His marks lit up from the fire before red eyes burst open and a heavy, rattling gasp filled the room.  
  
The heavy breaths, the chest rising and falling made Seungcheol struggle to sit up, watching as Jihoon took a deep breath, absorbing the energy of the fire and the room going darker. Not completely, no. The sun filled the room and despite how long the consultant to the prince had been awake, the desire to sleep was not enough to make him leave Jihoon’s side.  
  
“I’m sorry.” He whispered and bowed his head. “I have been so cruel to you.” 

Jihoon squinted his eyes, confused as he looked around before taking the male in and immediately holding out a hand, the palm showing a small swirled symbol crossing over itself, glowing intensely red before catching on fire as a warning. The small elf backed himself up until his back hit the corner of the room, half pressed to the fireplace. 

_ “Daerbalk Jihoon juntal Yoongi mon Baekhyun mon Hyo-Jong. Daerbalk!” _Seungcheol pleaded and held up a hand, knowing there were so many more but those three rested on the forefront of his mind, they were the ones whose impacts were so strong. He held memories in the soul reminding him of the moments together. “It’s me.” He whispered. “Sort of.” It hurt to admit that what Jihoon needed was inside of him but not properly. 

Jihoon’s red eyes were wary as he looked at the male. Meeting like this was not how he met his soulmates. It was always sweet, always something memorable and honest and pure. He met Yoongi during a festival of music, walking through rows of ancient instruments being played by equally ancient elven-kind. Yoongi had been kneeling, curious to the instrument using keys on a string and reaching out to play with them. A human, a human who needed so much more in not only age but attention and his desires to be filled. He’d met Baekhyun by chance at a stall selling ever-flowers, watching the boy tap at a flower and change its color over and over again, never ceasing to be amazed by his own power of beauty. Hyo-Jong, despite being the hilarious and loud person that he was, also had moments of sobriety. The drunken kisses they’d shared, the innocent plea that the night would never end, throwing themselves off Tandlin bridge in the middle of the twenty year winter only for Jihoon to hit first and wrap the boy in his warmth as the ice broke for them and allowed them to experience a sauna surrounded by snow…

This was not like that. Jihoon warily scanned the male as he spoke before lowering his hand. “You don’t… Seem like what is mine.” He finally said, the elven words more basic than his native Quell tongue but he knew it all the same, even if a thick accent went with it.

Seungcheol took a deep breath. “I’m… not what you’re used to, no.” He whispered then moved carefully, not trying to appear threatening. “I’m not exactly the same—”

“What do you mean? You are my soulmate…?” The look of confusion on Jihoon’s face only grew sadder when the male stood, looking up at the light with a grumbled sigh before disappearing, the candles in the room flickering then going out. “W-What?!” He shouted and pressed even closer to the cool wall behind him, unable to believe what he’d seen. Not even the Quell had a power to disappear. 

* * *

  
Vernon rested his armor plating against a wall with a groan, his shoulders aching today more than ever before that his mind could remember. He reached up one rough hand, hearing movements from within the little shack. “You’re up late.” He yawned as he moved into the house and spotted his healer pulling thin socks off his feet.  
  
“The prince has many a demand and I don’t have the ability to move Seungcheol away from tiny elves. It’s been a long night.” He pouted as he turned to crawl up the bed, plopping a flushed cheek to the soft fabric of his pillow. 

“Preaching to the choir.” Vernon smiled and moved to crawl onto the bed. “Mingyu skipped his shift today at the prison cells so as well as trying to please our ever-needy highness I was searching for that tall _ pyntem. _I worry he’s stalking the stable boys again.” He yawned. 

“You are not his father, Vernon, you are his boss.” Seungkwan smiled, speaking while repeating the man’s yawn, reaching out to drag the warm body up against him. “And you say stalking as if it’s more than a harmless crush. The male’s scared of hurting the river-hounds and anything small and furry that takes an interest. He couldn’t hurt a stable boy… they have whips.” Seungkwan hummed and rested his cheek against the male’s chest. “Now let me rest, you.”  
  
“We have whips too,” Vernon mumbled, but let his partner fall asleep, his own eyes closing with the small smile on his lips. 

* * *

Jeonghan smiled as he listened to Minghao speak words that would make any man blush. The prince wasn’t shielded from that reaction himself as Minghao whispered of how a Quell man would force a man’s legs apart to prove just how much someone could take. “This is naughty talk!” Jun chuckled, his pink speckled cheeks glittering in the light of the morning. It had been two days since the festival and with everyone healing and relaxing, it meant, for the moment, that the palace had calmed reasonably.  
  
“Yes, yes it is. It’s what I’m paid for, Jun, darling.” Minghao winked and then adjusted his pillow to continue while Jun let out his own soft giggle, twisting Jeonghan’s hair up and into an elegant hold, pulling selective pieces away to frame his face. As the words continued, describing more illicit motions, Jeonghan was rapt with attention, jumping when there was a knock at the door. 

Jeonghan turned, appraising Jun’s barely covered body and hummed as he nodded. “You’ll do.” His body was covered in a sheer robe of pink to match the well placed glitters on his cheeks and the pink trail of gems on the long chain dangling from his neck and going to his navel. Just beneath that was a pair of small, soft shorts outlining every curve of his body. There was nothing wrong with the job either Jun or Minghao held. Sex was an educational experience to the Ellyrien elven culture, but being able to smell the Quell on the other side of the door meant to possibly tone down the heated thoughts in the room.  
  
“Come in.” Jeonghan called out and made a move to stand at the side of his bed. Jun pouted and crawled up the bed to lay down, looking more like expensive furniture than a courtesan. Minghao closed his book of stories and stood, carrying his reading pillow to the corner beneath the window where it had come from.  
  
The door pushed open and there was Joshua, blue eyes and all. The markings on his skin looked like fast flowing rivers, chasing the sun like a mural on his body. Jeonghan caught himself staring but it took a moment, not instantaneous in the least. “Please, your highness, if you only wish to look at me, I’d much rather be sitting.” Joshua said, eyes on the male. 

Jeonghan nodded once. “I apologize. How can I help you, Joshua? I believe you agreed to having tea with me but that was once you were feeling well. You still don’t appear to be—?” Jeonghan asked, eyes following the Quell’s gaze as it fell on Jun, the courtesan simply staring back as if challenged before he rolled onto his back, the thin chain slipping down the front of him to teeter off to the side. The sun on the bed hitting his skin, making him glow pink. 

“I’d rather we speak about this alone. It may be rather personal? For you, your highness.” Joshua said and watched the thoughts go through Jeonghan’s mind before he shook his head. “In Ellyrien, the wind gossips for us. You can say what you would like with my friends here.” Joshua took a deep breath before nodding, facing down the grown elf in the room.  
  
“We need to talk about your counselor, Seungcheol. He’s disappeared.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [VOCABULARY]
> 
> Pyntem - Fucking Idiot  
Ellyrien - Kingdom under Prince Jeonghan  
Quellyntal - Kingdom under Pellindas  
Elphenaud - Drum using Quetzalcoatl feathers  
Fire Rot - A soulmate sickness that fire wielders get, (other wielders get their own aka Water Rot).
> 
> [Quell Language]  
Curses begin with names
> 
> Ellyrien scullda meir runda daegli! - Ellyrien trash doesn’t even speak the language!  
Jihoon noijin renduin. - Jihoon, retain your energy/your energy is dwindling  
Daerbalk Jihoon juntal Yoongi mon Baekhyun mon Hyo-Jong. Daerbalk! - Believe Jihoon, I am Yoongi and Baekhyun and Hyo-Jung. Believe!  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Christmas Eve! 
> 
> \--I did edit the first chapter to include more names at the beginning. It seemed not everyone enjoyed having to guess who was who and I don't blame them. Bad stylistic choices I suppose! Anywho, I have been working on this chapter for awhile, struggling with certain things but I will try and have a chapter up a week between my three main fics (Leveled, Oh My!, and Who Am I). Thank you for reading and have a good holiday!

Joshua couldn’t always control what he dreamed about, in fact he was really unsure how seeing the future in his dreams had never caused him to go blind. No matter how selfless he consciously was, in his dreams he of course looked to his future, say himself in new and different situations. There were many things he chose not to believe, such as the world burning around him, a plague wiping out his family or the little duck group behind his house choosing to live elsewhere. He was fond of those ducks after all. 

A seer really can’t see specifics, not that any would give that information away. They’re mind could pull information but not as if it was from a well documented file folder. Someone may ask about their relationships in the future and a seer may go in and find no names but a warm sense of being held or they may see names and faces or they may just feel the gentlest touch to the back as a goodbye. Making calls on unclear answers was pretty much a seer’s specialty. 

Joshua had decided at a very early age that looking for his own future was pointless, so he’d purposefully chosen to focus solely on what people wanted instead of himself. Jihoon was the first person who didn’t look at him as odd for having his blue eyes, a seer who wasn’t blind was so rare, so impossibly odd and off putting for most that having Jihoon just respect his gift was worth choosing him as someone to be around. 

Joshua’s bright blue eyes, however unnatural they looked on his pale skin with his brown hair, they weren’t white and blinded so he would consider that a win, as he could now take in the full length that was Jeonghan. He would definitely be the loser in the situation if he never could have seen how stunning the elven prince was. He was fair skinned, although not as fair as Jihoon, and he had the most delicately sculpted face, the long hair framing it and making him look even daintier. The only thing that could add to Jeonghan’s incredible beauty would be jewelry which, from Joshua’s understanding, he was never without. 

The night he’d met the male, he was wearing the tiniest chain from ear to ear, drawing attention to his soft eyes with thin makeup. Joshua remembered not breathing for a solid thirty seconds, something he’d never once done. A person making him breathless was unheard of, and now, as Joshua had told him that Seungcheol, Jeonghan’s right hand man and counsel, had disappeared-- The male’s glittering diamonds tracing around one eye, up over his eyebrow moved as Jeonghan’s entire face did. “What do you mean by that?”  
  
Joshua jumped slightly at the words and turned to glance at the others. “I mean… He was with Jihoon, and--- then he wasn’t. He didn’t-- You know, if you wanted to know, go to the source.” Joshua sighed, not feeling comfortable turning himself into a laughing stock in front of fey. They had a tendency to run wild with rumours. Joshua hadn’t thought about the fact he’d been snarky to a prince, but to be fair his own elven kingdom didn’t have a prince. It definitely had a leader, but it was technically a group of people called Pellindas and they were treated the same as everyone else, as they should be. Leaving all rulings up to a king or prince seemed ridiculous to him, and he let it be known as he left the male’s chamber in a definite huff. 

Jeonghan blinked, unsure what to do as he watched the little elf storm out before he looked back at Jun and Minghao, both seemingly amused by the tiny, barely-a-conversation they had just witnessed. “He’s not blind… Aren’t seers blind? I know a story or two…” Minghao hummed, letting Jun trace spirals on his neck comfortably. 

“I’m not sure why he doesn’t have white eyes, I’ve never seen one in real life.” Jeonghan hummed, falling back onto his bed before remembering Joshua’s words. “Should I be worried about Seungcheol?” 

Jun chuckled, licking his lips. “Never. I feel as if he may not look like Vernon…. But he can probably fight even better.” Minghao agreed with a resolute nod. “So I don’t think worrying about him will be any… more useful to you, my Prince.” Jun said and let his eyes slide over the Prince’s body slowly, always eager to just _ look. _ There was a pause in the room before Jeonghan fell back on his bed to shake his head, rubbing it. 

“He is my advisor, I should worry if he’s not here to advise me. I think.” Jeonghan said before shoving the male’s cheek with the tips of his fingers to get the pining look away from his own gaze. He stood, shaking his head to go and find the small Quellyntal elf. He let the heavy door of his room shut behind him and moved to the room where he’d had the elf put. He knocked calmly and then frowned when he didn’t receive an immediate response.  
  
“This is Jeonghan? The Prince? Of Ellyrien?” He offered to the door and it stayed silent for a minute longer before he hit the door again, this time with his fist. It swung open and the short, fiery elf glared up at him with his red detailed skin.  
  
“What?!” The male asked, seething dripping from the word as he stared at the male. Jeonghan took a step back, mostly to see him properly. His eyes immediately found the one part of him that didn’t fit with the pale cream of his skin and the red marks. His fingers were covered in a black ash but underneath it was a grey tone that read as ‘sickly’ or ‘dead’. He scrunched up his face then relaxed it when he realized it may not be appropriate.  
  
“I just… I was told about Seungcheol? I didn’t underst--”  
  
The elf stared at him before shutting the door in his face and there was a loud banging before it opened again, further as an invitation. “I don’t speak this language… okay? No. Well. I don’t well.” Jeonghan watched, understanding the words but curious where the fire went but his eyes took in his surroundings anyhow, noticing the boys bedding was only inches from the fireplace and it seemed he’d dragged the feather mattress from one side of the room to the other for comfort. Everything else however had been trashed.  
  
“It’s an uhmm… It’s a trick? Yes. I just can’t figure it out. He stood here.” Jihoon spoke as he stood in the spot Seungcheol had been in and then let his hands spread out beside his face. “Then gone. _ Ahkio! _” Jihoon said, astounded. 

Jeonghan rose an eyebrow, watching the little boy-- no, he was an adult even by Ellyrien standards, in fact Jeonghan could make the assumption the elf was beyond him in years judging only by the depth he could sense in his eyes. He nodded, understanding what he was saying but unsure how much Jihoon could understand.  
  
“So he disappeared?” Jeonghan asked then turned to look at the door and the window, assuming he just left quickly without Jihoon’s knowledge. 

“And he’s back. Stop talking about me when I’m not here.” Seungcheol spoke, walking into the room from the main door. Jihoon jumped and started speaking quickly, all in the same Quell language Jeonghan had no depth of understanding in.  
  
“What is he saying? What is going on?” Jeonghan asked, looking between the two and the look on his advisor’s face made him stop. It was of despair and agony and he frowned. “What is this soulmate talk you said yesterday? Are you disappearing?” He finally spoke, breaking the silence that had fallen between the three. Jihoon and Seungcheol both just staring each other down.  
  
“Celestial.” Jihoon hissed and walked out the door of the bedroom but on his way out, the fire went with him, seeming to drag from the wood it had been eating and flying to the boy, soaking into his skin. Jeonghan’s was truly excited to see such a show of magic, but was also in despair at the situation. 

“He is upset that I have left him alone. He will be okay… eventually.” Seungcheol said then touched the prince’s arm. “Don’t worry about him, my Prince. He is not a cruel elf and his magic is not used for attacking but for life. He burns fields for ash to fertilize the land where he’s from. He heats hearths for the unhealthy and he has hobbies in metal work. He is not a cruel being, he’s just very upset due to my wrongful thinking. I’ve hurt him.”  
  
“Because he’s sick? You could have helped him?” The prince asked, watching the male. His advisor nodded slowly and there was something in the gesture that made Jeonghan’s heart weep for the male. “What is a celestial?”  
  
“An angel. He called me an angel.” The words were quiet and almost sad as if an angel were a bad thing. “It’s lunch time, your highness. Would you like me to have food brought to your room?”  
  
The conversation switching without any real answers threw Jeonghan off just enough that he became distracted with the thought of food. “Yes, please.” He spoke with grace and then walked out of the room. “And clean this mess up.”  
  
“Yes, your highness. At once.” The man spoke, looking around. 

***

Jihoon didn’t know where he was going, his eyes tinting everything red as he fought to get as far away from his soulmate as possible. A fucking angel? An ANGEL?! What did that even mean? He scrunched his face up, recalling the entire conversation that had occurred when he was mid-panic about losing him, thinking he’d died before Jihoon could even get to _ know _ him. 

“And he’s back. Stop talking about me when I’m not here.” Seungcheol had said when he came through the door, words that Jihoon could only barely understand with all the layered annoyance tinging the words dark.  
  
He jumped at the sudden noise however and spun to look at the man. “Where were you? What happened? Don’t do that again! I thought you’d died! I can’t go another hundred years! I’ll die without you so don’t do that!”  
  
“I just left, I’m fine! Calm down!”  
  
“Don’t tell me to calm down! Tell me what’s going on right now! I hate this! Your stupid prince thinks I’m crazy or stupid and it’s your fault! I can’t beli--”  
  
“I’m an angel, not your soulmate!” Seungcheol’s words sliced like a knife. “I only hold the soul of who you need, I’m not _ him _ .” A silence settled upon them as Jihoon fought to understand, face contorting with sadness and confusion  
  
“What is he saying? What is going on?” The tall prince had asked and by that point Jihoon had had enough, looking between the ‘angel’s face of pain at having to explain and the confused prince. “What is this soulmate talk you said yesterday? Are you disappearing?” 

“Celestial.” Jihoon hissed, understanding that much from the heated words before he stormed out of the room,the anger sapping all the heat in the room. So here he was, processing the truth of his soulmate. He knew of celestials or angels, they weren’t exactly supposed to show themselves according to the folk tales but they did have the ability to disappear. He walked in a straight line down the alleys of the palace before being forced to choose a direction and he bit his lip, looking both ways before closing his eyes, sensing for the warmest direction, deciding on down with a tiny spark he could feel flickering in the distance. 

Five minutes of walking led the path to be narrower and narrower until it turned into a spiral staircase only a few feet wide at best. Jihoon didn’t have claustrophobia so he found the trip down to be dark with only his own light-brightened skin to guide the way. When it finished the descent he clearly had left the main palace as he passed by a guard standing on duty. There was a tremble in the man to attack and Jihoon just looked at him silently.  
  
“Pass I may?” Words jumbled, but it didn’t matter, the guard gave a nod, understanding that the prince had given the male free roam of the palace for now.  
  
Jihoon bowed and then made his way out over what was clearly the front gate before spotting the source of heat. There was a barrel made of steel and kids surrounded it as the contents had been lit, providing them warmth and light. He carefully made his way down the cobbled path and where the kids sat on the dirt and stones, Jihoon made his way along the stone wall to sit down and watch the same fae they were all enraptured by. A storyteller, just like from the previous night.  
  
A fae was just an elf with lighter powers to Jihoon, or that’s how he’d always thought of them. Dancing only lightly with the elements unlike the harsh and unbending force that were the Quellyntal elves. This fae made lights from fire, taking tiny flecks and forcing them to move with every motion of his body as he danced. No music was needed because the story was enough. Jihoon sat, crossing his legs as he watched the tiny flickering lights move across the sky, enthralling the children but Jihoon smiled, seeing the story and knowing it well.  
  
_ A child of water dancing on a lake, twirling and twirling and seeming so serene but in reality their hands and feet were held by strings and the puppeteer was dark and sinister had them cursed as they twirled forever. A brave knight, one of steel and iron is the only one who can see the strings but they are deathly terrified of what lies beneath the water, but still forces themselves into the depths to swim out and slice the water-childs feet free of the strings, clinging to the twirling child to slice the hands free one at a time until they both fell into the water. The child of water too exhausted from twirling to swim, and the brave knight too frightened as well, they both die to the darkness and the puppeteer is sad, alone again without their toy. _  
  
Jihoon reached out with his fingers, coloring each figure with a small twitch, blue for the child, green for the knight and red for the puppeteer as he now cried. The children all gasped in awe, watching as the couple drowned beneath the ocean of lights and Jihoon met the storyteller’s gaze, finding it resembled the puppeteers in more than one way. 

It wasn’t a happy story, that of the Water Child and the Knight, it taught no lessons other than caution and despair, and only someone who understood despair could tell it so truthfully. Jihoon was struck by that emotion as he found it in the fae’s eyes, something dark and more than sad. “Thank you.” The fae whispered to him, letting the lights flicker down as ash, his body looking exhausted but the children clapped as appropriate after being given a show.  
  
Jihoon only nodded, watching the fire for a moment longer before feeding it his own energy, the children finally spotting him and gasping in fear, some shooting to their feet to run away. Jihoon chewed on his lower lip, getting the gist as he stood and walked away, not wanting to scare them any more. The Quell were monsters to the children of Ellyria, that was easy to see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [VOCABULARY]
> 
> Ellyrien - Kingdom under Prince Jeonghan  
Quellyntal - Kingdom under Pellindas
> 
> [QUELL LANGUAGE]
> 
> Ahkio - Poof/Vanished


	3. Chapter 3

Jihoon found himself lost. He’d witnessed the beautiful show and thought if only he turned around to retrace his steps he could find his way back to that all too heavy door that contained his room and instead he was greeted by a palace wall. “This is where the door was… right?” He frowned, talking to himself now as he looked around, turning back to view the path and then turning around once more, hoping a door and guard would spawn but instead the storyteller stood only a foot in front of him, staring him into the eyes.    
  
Jihoon didn’t scare easily but he did find himself taking a small step back from the boy he’d gazed at only minutes ago. “Nightfall.” He said simply and pointed to the sky. Jihoon looked up and stared at the darkening sky before they fell once more, aiming to meet the boys gaze again but found he wasn’t there anymore.    
  
“Hello?” He called out and heard a chuckle.    
  
“Hello.” The response was right behind him and he turned, spotting the fae once more, leagues ahead of him on the path. “You’re lost. The fae like the lost.”   
  
“The fae feed on the lost, the fae live with the lost and call them their own, the fae suffer for the lost and weep for the lost. The lost are the fae.” Jihoon quoted the old poem and watched the boy wince, looking at him from so far away.

“We are not cannibals. Atrocious poem written by an envious Quell, that is.” The fae said, a pout on his lips. “The walls close at dark unless it’s a festival night. There is no going in or out until morning. You stayed out too late, Quell with Fire.” A name, the storyteller didn’t know who he was. That was good to know, also; he spoke the same Quell language as Jihoon which piqued his interest. 

  
“You can speak to me?” He asked and suddenly the boy flitted in front of him but this time Jihoon could see through the illusion of the boy projecting his image, seeing double of him in the same line of sight. 

“I’d be a truly awful storyteller if I didn’t know the languages of the stories.” Jihoon nodded and stepped through the illusion, making his way down to the boy and paused in front of him before looking back at the closed palace. “Sit, Jihoon, fire elf of Quell, Southern Flowers Route. Let me tell you a story.” The fae whispered and Jihoon did as asked, taking his spot on the ledge once more, using his own fire to heat up the barrel, giving the fae something to play with as well as keep him warm. 

“My name is Lee Chan.” The fae said quietly. “Or Dino. Some people call me that.” He said and Jihoon watched his eyes as he spoke. That sad despair appeared once more and the look confused Jihoon, making him ache inside. “Don’t ask questions, let me tell you a story and you’ll feel better and you may find a way inside you weren’t thinking of.” He said and Jihoon nodded, having no reason to not trust the boy.

Chan reached his hand out calmly and squeezed, pulling the flickering lights from the fire once more, and where it would have awe’d others, Jihoon only narrowed his eyes, trying to witness his technique before getting sucked into the story. At first it didn’t make much sense, just swirling, transfixing the elf into his spot on the stone wall, but overtime the lights morphed, becoming more and more  _ real _ , taking the shape of a boy, young with a face like Lee Chan’s, the more slanted eyes and strong gaze. There was another figure, tall, and when he touched hands to the boys face it left imprints, the man had wings. 

“Se--”   
  
“I said no questions. Just watch.” Chan whispered as his fingers moved. There was nothing for moments until the winged boy’s figure spread open, wide, fingers splayed and something about it felt sad. Jihoon’s eyes focused on the figure, tall and strong and the wings slowly closed and that tall, powerful body shrunk, curled into a ball and resembled pain, sadness. The boy who resembled Lee Chan stood, sadness on his face as he left the one in pain, every step seeming to get taller and taller, the angel crawled behind him, never leaving him but enduring every pain to follow. 

The boy, now a man turned and saw the angel and walked to him, meaning to lift him from the ground but his fingers found wings and yanked them out, with each tear the boy got taller and taller, the angel dying more and more before the lights died out; the figures disappearing.

“I don’t understand.” Jihoon whispered, tears in his own eyes as his eyes fought to see more of the story but Chan was quiet and staring at him. “Why’d he keep pulling out his wings? They weren’t hurting anyone.”   
  
“They were hurting the angel.” Chan said and then shrugged a shoulder, reaching out to pat the boys knee. “They were too heavy and he was so tired… He could feel better if someone allowed him to stop.” 

Jihoon was quiet for a moment before nodding and Chan nodded in turn, acknowledging the elf processing the information before watching that spark of understanding glimmer in the boys eyes. “Oh.” Jihoon said with a desperate sadness and he lowered his head. “Okay.” He whispered and stood.

“He wants to make you happy, Quell.” Chan said before letting his hands move up to touch the boys arm. “Remember that?” He asked, voice small and innocent. Jihoon looked at his hands, wondering why he wasn’t afraid of the fire that licked just under his skin, why he knew his language, why he was so… easy to just listen to. 

“I will.” Jihoon said and then looked up at the palace wall. He didn’t see a door but somehow he knew it was there, and waiting would be Seungcheol to let him in. “Thank you.” He stood and then made his way back up the path. When he got to where the door should be he reached out and pressed his fingers to the stone and they slipped through, finding a cool hand instead and being pulled inside gently. His eyes looked up to see Seungcheol and he sighed. “It’s okay.” He said and lowered his eyes. 

“I’d rather die than make you just offer another love to me just to watch them die.” Jihoon answered the silence that the angel offered. “I don’t want to make life worse for you.” He said and turned, going up the stairs to leave the male speechless at the bottom. Seungcheol’s look of confusion matched the one on Chan’s face as they both stared at each other, the illusion not tricking the fae. 

“You told me to show him the truth, not to explain it to him.” Chan said, shrugging a shoulder then turning to wander off into the town to his own home. 

Seungcheol let out a growl and rolled his eyes as he went up the stairs as well, shoulders slumped and not ready to decipher the Quellyntal’s thoughts. 

* * *

The fire rolled in the fireplace, licking at Jihoon’s skin while Seungcheol watched, his eyes dark and perplexed as he eyed Jihoon’s back. He was sick and it was killing him and Seungcheol hated that he didn’t  _ understand _ what the fae had told him. He took it in an unintended way, clearly.    
  
Seungcheol moved to the fire and sat down beside the elf, watching as the fire started to wrap around his entire body protectively. Seungcheol rolled his eyes and leaned down to touch the male’s cheek. “He’s inside of me, he knows he has to love you.” 

“It kills you to--”

“No. I watch  _ you _ feel miserable. I watch  _ you _ grow old and hurt every time you lose someone but I can find no one who is  _ worthy _ of your love that the fates allow. I can’t… give you anyone.” Seungcheol whispered and the flames began to subside slowly leaving a flame-licked elf in their wake. 

“Why? Why can’t you find someone? Have I used them all up?” He whispered sadly. “Does it not hurt you to--”

“Holding him inside like this kills me, you need your soulmate but fates are saying you’re not destined for one right now-- Not one bestowed by a celestial so I’m holding this weight--”

“How can you see who can be my soulmate?” Jihoon asked, his red eyes finding the males, both looking sad and in slight despair. 

“It’s just a feeling I get when I see them. It’s all encompassing and I just  _ know.  _ But Jihoon, you  _ can _ find your own soulmate and cure the poison-- It’s just not someone I can see. You don’t have to-to-- You know.” Seungcheol’s eyes fell to Jihoon’s feet that were gray veined instead of red. 

“Right, because people in a magicless country find me sexually attractive and want to love a boy rotting to death.” Jihoon whispered, voice wavering on the brink of tears. 

“I would love you if I could.” He whispered and lowered his own body to lay against Jihoon’s and for once they both felt right and comfortable as the flame kept them warm and encouraged to keep hoping. 


End file.
